Unfaithful
by RedandLizzie
Summary: Liz learns at least part of the truth about Tom. Part 2, the final chapter, was posted on 11/9/13.
1. Chapter 1

**Unfaithful**

**Synopsis: **Liz learns at least part of the truth about Tom.

**Note:** As of the writing of this story, the first 6 episodes of The Blacklist have aired. In episode 6, Liz told Red, "You and I - we're done" and "Go to hell." This scene made me wonder what would need to happen in order for Liz to begin trusting Red again.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own The Blacklist or any of these wonderful characters. The brilliant Jon Bokenkamp and NBC do. This is a transformative work and no money is being made from this story.

* * *

Liz stood in the middle of The Post Office's command center, the pressure she felt in her chest was nearly overwhelming as the images unfolded in front of her on the multiple screens. Ressler stated the video had arrived a couple of hours earlier and had been sent anonymously to his attention. Clearly, he had already seen the footage. Why he chose to show it to Liz here - in front of the team, in front of Reddington no less - was a calculated maneuver. Somehow, Liz managed to keep it together through the entire seven minutes and forty-three seconds of footage, her eyes never diverting from the monitor in front of her. When the screen went black, she turned to Assistant Director Cooper, "I'm taking the rest of the day."

As she walked out, she kept her focus on simply placing one foot in front of the other. As she stepped around the corner, she heard Meera's loud clipped tone, "Ressler, you are an ass."

The pressure in her lungs continued to build and her heart began to race as she crossed the parking lot toward the Jeep. She hadn't had a panic attack in years but she recognized the signs. After climbing into the car, she wiped her sweaty palms on her slacks and forced herself to hold her breathe for a good twenty count. Liz then began to softly count backward by threes, "100, 97, 94, 91, 88, 85, 82, 79, 76, 73, 70."

Liz started the SUV, put the vehicle in drive, and drove home in a daze - the explicit images of Tom with Gina, on various dates and in various ways, playing in her mind's eye. Her decision was made the moment she pulled into the parking spot across the street from her home, and she immediately and methodically began moving her clothes to the Jeep. In a little over two hours she was ready to leave, which is precisely when her phone rang. When she saw the caller id listed Nick's Pizza, she ignored the call. A few weeks earlier, she would have gone to Red, but she was still angry and confused and didn't know if he was the one manipulating her entire life or if he was just a pawn in a much larger game. The revelation of Tom's affair made her question everything all over again. Reddington had been right after all, Gina was Tom's lover.

She began to feel the tightness and pressure in her chest again and her breathing became shallow and rapid, waves of nausea followed and Liz placed her forehead on the steering wheel. She couldn't breathe and gripped the leather of her seat tightly in response. The seconds beat on and the attack did not waiver, she then registered her car door opening and being pulled out of the vehicle into strong arms. She knew it was Red when she smelled his aftershave. He held her close and smoothed the hair on the back of head. He whispered, "Shhh, Lizzie. It's okay, sweetheart."

Liz began gulping air, her lungs filling with oxygen, and she balled a handful of Red's lapel into her fist. She heard him talking quietly, hearing a few words and phrases here and there. "Lizzie... listen to me... my girl... you can do this..."

When she came back to herself, her breathing normal, she pushed against his chest and stumbled back. It was a moment before she could speak and she hated how broken her voice sounded. "Did you do this? Did you send Ressler the video?"

His reply was fast. "No."

She watched him, searching his unreadable face for truth. "But you knew. You told me weeks ago."

"I had no part in the video. None. I learned of it's existence the same time you did."

Liz felt the tears burning at her eyes and she swallowed. "I want to believe you. I need to believe you. But... you... nothing makes sense. This is too much."

Red's cell chimed and he pulled the device from his pocket answering with a simple, "Yes." He listened for a moment then closed the phone, placing it back in his jacket. "Your husband will arrive in approximately three minutes."

She closed her eyes and dropped her chin to her chest. Liz has no intention of confronting Tom at this point. There were too many unanswered questions and she had no idea how this recent revelation would affect her job, and possible new investigation into Tom. "I need to leave."

He gave a quick nod in response. "I'll drive. Get in."

A couple of minutes after Red pulled onto the street, she noticed Red's Mercedes in her side mirror. She could see both Dembe and Luli in the front seats of the vehicle. They had appeared seemingly from nowhere. Red drove fast, switching lanes often, maneuvering the SUV with ease. When they entered an expensive gated community on Dunmore Lane, Liz finally thought to question him. "Where are we going?"

"To a place I hope you find comfortable." He looked at her then with tired eyes that briefly held a bit of warmth before returning to their normal hue.

Thirty seconds later they pulled into the garage of a large French country villa. The home, like the ones surrounding it, held a multi-million dollar price tag. A few seconds later, Dembe and Luli joined them and exited the luxury sedan quickly as Liz continued to sit in the passenger seat of the Jeep with Red.

"I'll have your things brought to you room."

Liz shook her head. "I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know why I'm here. I should go... somewhere else."

Red's reply was decisive. "Stay here tonight."

When she turned to face him, he pulled the keys out of the ignition, climbed out of the vehicle, and made a small gesture toward Dembe as he walked to her door. She watched as Dembe moved to the back of the Jeep. When Red arrived at her door and opened it, he offered her his hand. Liz hesitated only briefly before accepting.

"What do you want brought in?"

Liz studied his expression before looking down at their joined hands. She felt a headache coming on and rubbed at her temple with her free hand.

He prodded her along. "Lizzie?"

"The dark gray suitcase. The smaller one." As soon as the words were out of her mouth Dembe secured the luggage and moved quickly entering the home.

Liz finally moved when Red gently tugged on her hand. He led her through the laundry, a pantry and then stopped in the kitchen. She noticed Grey sitting at the bar reading through a stack of papers. She didn't like the man and was pretty sure the feeling was mutual. As Red spoke, he slid his fingers between hers, interlocking their digits. "Bring a pot of tea and a bowl of tomato bisque to Agent Keen's room. Oh, and a glass of Chardonnay - the 2001 Corison Kronos."

Grey gave her a squint that Red must have immediately noticed because there was an edge to Red's voice when he spoke next. "Now."

He pulled her along again to a narrow hall ending with a steep staircase. Before he let go of her hand, he skimmed the pad of his thumb over the scar on her hand. He then stepped behind her and motioned with his head for her to climb. When she began to move, she felt his hand on the small of her back. When they reached the second floor, Red said, "Second door on your right."

When Liz opened the door to her room, she noticed his touch was absent and turned to look back. He was at the entry to the hall, leaning with his shoulder against the wall, watching her attentively. Liz suddenly felt remorse for the way she had spoken to him weeks ago and the way she had treated him since. Despite everything, from the moment she met him, he had always been there when she needed someone. "I owe you an apology."

He tilted his head up and to the right in response, as if to hear her better.

"I told you to go to hell."

"A place that I have already been. And, given the circumstances, what you were lead to believe, it was an appropriate statement."

"You said I could trust you."

"You can trust me."

"Can I?"

"Yes."

Liz felt a sudden grip of pain and the tears sprung just as quickly. She paused before asking, "He never loved me, did he?"

Red's unreadable features changed for an instant, and she saw a glimpse of something she could only describe as empathy. "No."

As Liz began to close the door, tears streaming down her face, she heard Red's muted, "Lizzie."


	2. Chapter 2

**Unfaithful - Chapter 2**

**Synopsis:** Red checks on Lizzie.

**Notes:** I really had intended for this story to be a one-shot. Then I received comments asking me to continue and my stupid brain got to thinking… And thank you for the comments - they are appreciated.

* * *

After Liz shut the door, she saw her suitcase lying on the bed and sat down beside it. She wiped at the tears on her face and studied the room. Even though the present circumstances were her worst nightmare, she recognized the beauty surrounding her. The linens, bed canopy, wall treatments and carpeted flooring were a soft off-white that were warmed with gentle accent lighting and the glow from the small fireplace. The room smelled fresh - like spring rain. Although this was not her home, it was inviting and peaceful.

A knock on the door was followed by Grey's voice. "Agent Keen, I have your dinner."

Rather than inviting him in, Liz walked to the door, opened it, and took the proffered tray.

"Mr. Reddington asked that I ensure your accommodations are to your liking. Is there anything you require?"

She shook her head. "No. Thank you."

"The remote to the fireplace is on the nightstand. The setting is currently on low but you may wish to adjust the temperature before retiring. This home is older and the second level sometimes proves to be chilly on fall nights. Oh, and towels have been placed in the warmer in the adjoining bath. You will also find a wide variety of bathing products with different fragrances in the basket on the vanity, but I'm afraid there's only one brand. Mr. Reddington insisted on Sabon."

Liz knew she must look a bit bewildered. For weeks, she had witnessed a variety of people waiting on Red but she was not used to the treatment herself. "It's fine. I'm sure everything will be fine."

Grey simply blinked at her. "When you're finished with your meal, you may call or simply place your tray outside. If you need anything, anything at all, please don't hesitate to ask. Just pick up the phone and hit number one. Mr. Reddington wants to ensure your stay is as pleasant as possible."

Despite her lack of appetite, Liz ate the soup and drank two cups of hot tea. She sat the wine aside on her nightstand, saving it for later, before setting the tray outside her door. As she undressed, her phone rang. It was Tom. She let it go to voicemail and then played the message. He sounded frantic. He really was a good actor. "Liz, what's going on? Your things are gone. Liz, honey. I don't understand. Is this about the box, again? You need to call me or I'm calling your work. I'm calling that Cooper."

In order to keep her boss from learning she was with Red, Liz sent Tom a text in reply. "I can't get into this now. I will contact you in a few days."

When she climbed into the deep cast iron tub, the dam broke and her body shook with sobs. She cried until she could cry no more. As a child she used to dream of a man - a sweet and gentle man who would suddenly appear and love her forever unconditionally. The day she met Tom she thought her dream had come true but that had been proven a lie. A lie, in retrospect, she should have recognized. There were too many things that didn't add up - too many things she let slide; the photo of Tom and Gina outside the hotel where Fokin was murdered; the baseball cap he had worn to a job interview of all places; the mystery of how Tom found the box under the floor.

Liz climbed out of the tub after the water had grown cool. When she looked at herself in the mirror, she was surprised. She didn't see a broken woman looking back. Her eyes were clear, alert, real. She took a deep breath and set her jaw. She would move past this. She would find the answers to all the questions and she would do so by whatever means necessary. She would use her job with the FBI, she would use her husband, and she would use Reddington in much the same way he was using her. She could play the game. And, since she no longer had anything to lose, she thought she might even stand a slim chance of winning.

As she put on the only sleep attire she had placed in the suitcase, an old pink cotton button up sleep shirt that hung to her upper thigh, she wondered what her co-workers thought of today's event. A sudden biting anger toward Ressler hit her and she suddenly remembered Meera's sharp comment toward the carrot top. She then wondered what, if anything, Red had said. Her cheeks grew hot at the thought of meeting with her boss tomorrow. Tom had not only betrayed her, he had also made her look the fool to the people she worked with. She knew Ressler, if not Assistant Director Cooper and Meera, already thought her to be incompetent and untrustworthy.

Liz then remembered the glass of chardonnay. When she finished drinking the wine within five minutes, she briefly considered calling Grey for another. Instead, she combed out her hair and brushed her teeth. As she felt the stirring of loss again, she pushed aside the tears burning her eyes. She was done crying. Nothing she did now could change what had transpired, and she simply had to march forward as she had always done. After turning off the lights and climbing into bed, there was a soft short knock at her door. Liz assumed the interruption was Red and the thought of a distraction gave her comfort, so she pushed the covers back and walked to the door. The moment it opened, he met her eyes. "I was beginning to think you were asleep."

She didn't reply, instead she just looked back searching his face. There was nothing gleeful in his expression and she couldn't remember seeing him appear pleased at any point during the day.

"Is there anything you need?"

Liz laughed, a short cutting sound. "How about the ability to be like you. Indifferent. Unaffected."

Although his eyes did not move from hers, his mouth stirred - a slight impervious gesture that did not slide by her unnoticed. She had seen it once before, the night she told him they were through. After processing his response, she immediately placed her hand on his forearm. Red had been nothing but kind to her today and sarcastic offhand comments was not the way to show the appreciation she honestly felt. She didn't realize she was touching his bare skin until she felt his heat passing through to her hand. Her eyes fell past his rolled up shirt sleeve to her hand on his arm. She then followed the trail of buttons up his shirt to where they set open, her eyes level with his upper chest, the light brown and blonde hair curling there. The unexpected desire she felt was intense and frightening. When she met his eyes again, she was quite certain he was reading her mind.

She was deathly afraid of how he made her feel, but, at the same time, she was drawn to him - like a moth to a flame. In all the time she had known Red, he had never been this quiet. When she caught a glimpse of his adam's apple, a slight bob at his throat, her eyes fell from his face again. When she looked back up, Red's attention was squarely on her chest. Her button up had skatted down and over, her previously demure frock had exposed most of her left breast. When his hand reached out, she thought he was going to touch her but instead he took hold of the fabric, adjusting it to cover her nakedness. That simple act, resulted in a flip being switched and her fear dissipated. "Will you come in?"

Red's eyes were wide, the black of his pupils so large she could only see a slight rim of blue. "Are you sure that's what you want, Lizzie?"

She tightened the grip on his arm. "It's… you… are what I need."

His movement was agile and he had entered the room, shut the door, and lifted her before she registered everything taking place. After securing her in the center of the bed, he quickly followed, his weight gentle against her side, warm, reassuring. He raised so that he was above her, brushed her bangs out of her eyes, cupped her chin, thumb sliding over her lips. She felt as though he was drinking her in, memorizing this exact moment in time. When his mouth met hers, open and hot, she felt the muscles in her lower abdomen contract. As the kiss progressed, his tongue stroking hers, she felt a pool of wetness against her thighs. Lust overwhelmed her and her only thought was of one thing - more. She grabbed his hand pushing it down to the juncture between her legs and when he pulled back from the kiss she grabbed his shoulder in attempt to bring his mouth to her's again.

"Slow down, sweetheart." His voice was rich, deep, and vibrated through his chest to hers. He took hold of her wrist and moved it above her head.

She felt as though he were mocking her. She was no virgin but she had the very strong feeling he saw her as close to one. She turned her face from his and watched the low flames dancing in the fireplace. He was allowing her no control and she suddenly felt powerless and alone. The way he made her feel, from the moment she met him until now was indescribable and only growing stronger… his ability to completely enclose her from the rest of the world was freeing and unnerving at the same time.

"Lizzie, I fear I've done something to lose you."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as his fingertips trailed across her neck. He was always so damn observant. She couldn't hide from him. When she met his eyes she was surprised at the concern there. For the first time, she felt as though she were seeing the real man, the real Red. A hot tear formed and escaped from the corner of her eye in response.

"Lizzie."

She tried to sound strong, sure of her words, but her voice sounded small to her ears. "I don't want you to make love to me. I want you to make me forget."

"And loving you won't do that?"

A vice gripped her heart. Reddington and his ability to leave her speechless was becoming a problem.

He gave her a small brief quirk of a smile while he stroked her face with his index finger. "One day it will, Lizzie. Of that, I am sure." He placed a quick kiss on her lips and moved from the bed. When he spotted the empty wine glass on the nightstand he asked, "How did you like the Kronos?"

Liz rose to her elbows, missing his warmth, the feel of him against her. "It was very good."

He looked at her over his shoulder as he walked away. "Do your best to sleep well."

She managed to reach him as he opened the door and hastily grabbed his hand. When she looked up into his eyes, he gave her a knowing smirk. When she moved her hand behind his neck and moved to balance on the tips of her toes, his smirk disappeared and his eyes grew dark again. When their lips met, she was sure to give him everything she had. She was confused about her feelings but what she did feel was absolute and indubitable. She did her very best to convey that in her kiss. In response, he pulled her tight against him before placing his hands on her shoulders. He then stepped back, breaking contact, and that small smile of his was back. "Trying to tell me something, Lizzie?"

"Thank you."

His smile faded and he studied her before pulling her close again, arms encircling her, his chin resting on the top of her head. "It's been a very long time since someone has said those two words to me and meant them."


End file.
